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KoryC
Alteryx Alumni (Retired)

Alteryx Server Usage Report detailing app activity on an Alteryx Server.Alteryx Server Usage Report detailing app activity on an Alteryx Server.

 

Alteryx Server provides a platform for analysts and decision makers in the organization to publish, share, collaborate and consume the analytics available to them. With many users from different parts of the organization accessing those analytics from a centralized Alteryx Server, the ability to report on and understand Server usage was essential – so we released the Alteryx Server Usage Report. This report enabled administrators to understand how users are logging into the Server, what workflows they’re running, and more.

 

Now, with Alteryx Analytics 11.0, we’re expanding on these capabilities and enabling administrators to understand not only how the Server is being utilized, but how users of Alteryx Designer are leveraging their own desktop installations. Administrators can now access usage insights such as:

 

  • Which Alteryx Designer users are most active in the organization
  • What are the most popular tools and categories being used
  • What types of data sources are being accessed

With Alteryx Analytics 11.0, Alteryx administrators can now gather usage data from their own users by configuring installations of Alteryx Designer to send usage data back to their own Alteryx Server. As users of Alteryx Designer are building analytic workflows on their desktops, data will be sent that includes information about the tools being used. This data, scrubbed of any sensitive information before it is sent to the Server, can then be queried to understand what types of tools are being used amongst users in the organization, along with other useful information, such as the version of Alteryx Designer being used.

 

 

Alteryx Server administrators can now see Designer usage, including most active users as well as most commonly used toolsAlteryx Server administrators can now see Designer usage, including most active users as well as most commonly used tools

In addition to collecting the data, we’ve updated our sample Tableau dashboard included with the Alteryx Server Usage Report to make it easy to make sense of the data and understand usage trends. This report now includes new tabs to let administrators visualize the usage data coming from their Alteryx Designers. Not seeing the data in a view exactly as you’d like? Just as with the Server Usage data, the new Alteryx Designer Usage data is compiled through an Alteryx workflow, so it’s easy to see how the data is queried, and to adjust it to suit your needs.

 

Once equipped with this information and insights, leaders in their organization can discover insights and drive actions from usage data, letting them further empower and make their analysts even more proficient with Alteryx. Do you see an increase in the number of users taking advantage of the Predictive tool suite? Then perhaps additional training or support around that category will help. Notice that a handful of users haven’t upgraded to the latest version of Alteryx? Reach out to them and let them know about the upgrade. Administrators can now be more closely connected with their Alteryx Designer user base.

 

The new Alteryx Designer Usage data is available for customers with Alteryx Server with the Gallery component enabled. By default, this feature is disabled, and the Alteryx Designers will need to be configured to begin sending data to your Alteryx Server. Please read the documentation available here for instructions on how to configure Alteryx Designers to send data to your Alteryx Server.

 

The release of Alteryx Analytics 11.0 is full of multiple new features and this is just one of them. Learn more about the other new features in Alteryx Analytics 11.0 by following our release blog series.

Comments
patrick_digan
17 - Castor
17 - Castor

@KoryC This is an awesome new feature! Sorry for being slow, but you can you detail where exactly the data is being stored on the server? I popped open the usage report but I must have overlooked where it would be grabbing that desktop info. I don't have Tableau, but I was trying to figure out where this data is being stored.

 

Thanks!

KoryC
Alteryx Alumni (Retired)

Hey Patrick - great question! As Designers send usage information to your server, it will be stored in a collection inside of MongoDB, alongside the other information regarding your server. We actually just put the finishing touches on the Analytic App and sample Tableau Dashboard, and have that available for download at http://downloads.alteryx.com (exact link to the download available here). Inside of the workflow, you'll notice we're pulling in a new Mongo collection for usage data called usageReports. Keep in mind, though, that this collection will not exist until you have usage reporting enabled for your Designers and that they've reported at least one record.

 

Let me know if this helps!

patrick_digan
17 - Castor
17 - Castor

@KoryC wrote:

Inside of the workflow, you'll notice we're pulling in a new Mongo collection for usage data called usageReports.


@KoryC Thanks! That's exactly what I needed. This is a neat little feature.


Coxta45
11 - Bolide

@KoryC,

 

Will I find usageReports in the AlteryxGallery, AlteryxService, or admin database?

KoryC
Alteryx Alumni (Retired)

Hi @Coxta45 - you will be able to find the usageReports collection in AlteryxGallery. Keep in mind, the collection may not exist until you've had at least one Designer report usage information to your Server.

Coxta45
11 - Bolide

Got it!  Thanks, @KoryC.

blevy
5 - Atom

Has anyone had success building a workflow to automate the Server Monitor and Reporting workbook to Tableau Server?  

patrick_mcauliffe
14 - Magnetar
14 - Magnetar

@KoryC

I see a collection called "usages" but not one called "usageReports".  Did I miss something on the install?

 

Edit: I figured it out.  Apparently the Designer UI for Server doesn't report usage as a Designer.

satyakarri
5 - Atom

@KoryC

I am getting the error with 'Tableau workbook' as the output option - Error: Alteryx Server Usage Report (8): Tool #54: The field "_id" is not contained in the record.   However, it works fine with PDF option.  Can you please let us know the resolution.

Vasu
5 - Atom

It seems like the workflow was built for a newer version of Tableau. I use version 10 and it doesn't works. I cannot open the tableau workbook.

Vasu
5 - Atom

And also is it something I can modify the macro in any way so I can fit to the tableau version that I'm running which is version 10tableau workbook error.PNG

patrick_mcauliffe
14 - Magnetar
14 - Magnetar

@KoryC

Is there a way to bundle that setting in with the install via command line?

I've tried (without success) editing the XML via CLI so we can deploy the settings to a number of users without risking them doing it incorrectly.

As an alternative, I found that the edits can be done via an Alteryx App we have the user run after install.  The only problem with that being that the formatting (whitespace) of the XML document gets trimmed off when we re-write it with Alteryx.  Does whitespace matter?

Andrew_Paterson_BCG
7 - Meteor

We have adjusted the macros to publish the data to Tableau Server using the tool, and repointed the workbook to the separate TDE data source but ideally this would be built into a flavour of the "official" Alteryx version. Happy to raise an idea if not already out there.

blevy
5 - Atom

Andrew - Would you be willing to share your adjusted Macro?  I'm looking to do the same, publish to Tableau Server instead.

 

Thanks,

 

Brad

Andrew_Paterson_BCG
7 - Meteor

Hi Brad,

We'll post this hopefully later this week, including the steps on the Tableau Worbook side.

Thanks

Andrew_Paterson_BCG
7 - Meteor

In the meantime, I've created the Idea for this to be implemented formally:

 

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Product-Ideas/Publish-to-Tableau-Server-version-of-Alteryx-...

 

 

Andrew_Paterson_BCG
7 - Meteor

We revisited this to implement for the v11.5 version, if anybody wants the updated Macro and steps (which is most of the work) please PM me.

ppoorab1
7 - Meteor

Can anyone please provide the 10.5/10.6 version of the AlteryxUsageReport package.

The one on downloads.alteryx requires 11.0 and does not open on 10.5.

Further, the GaleryUsageReport for per-11.0 does not provide the same details.

JessicaS
Alteryx Alumni (Retired)

Hi @ppoorab1,

 

Please shoot us an email at support@alteryx.com and we will assist you.

 

Thanks,

kasd
7 - Meteor

In the dashboard some workflow are marked with warning - however it is not possible to see the warning message (for the errors there are a error message) where in the mongoDB can I find the warning message?

gsjacobs
8 - Asteroid

I've implemented the Server Usage Report and configured it for the PDF report since we are not a Tableau customer.  After modifying the XML file and checking the checkbox for the Desktop usage data, I'm getting an error in Tool #636 saying that "name" was not found.  Modifying the tool doesn't seem to fix the issue.  Am I doing something wrong here or missing something? 

 

We are looking to gather Designer usage data, as well as, Server data.

mlingama
7 - Meteor

Does anyone have any updates on this?  I am getting the same error as gsjacobs "Tool #636 saying that "name" was not found".

 

When looking at data column.  I don't see an tool usage being logged.